Islamabad [Pakistan], March 18: Funding shortages could cause the closure of 80% of Afghan healthcare facilities supported by the World Health Organization (WHO) by June.
These closures would cut off access to critical medical care for millions, including women, children, the elderly, and displaced populations, the WHO said in a statement released on Monday.
As of March 4, 167 health facilities have already shut down due to lack of funding, leaving 1.6 million people across 25 provinces without essential services, the statement added. If the situation is not addressed, over 220 more facilities could close by June, impacting another 1.8 million Afghans.
"These closures are not just numbers on a report, they represent mothers unable to give birth safely, children missing lifesaving vaccinations, entire communities left without protection from deadly disease outbreaks," said the head of the WHO in Afghanistan, Dr Edwin Ceniza Salvador. (DPA)
Source: Qatar Tribune
